Lidle backs up, Phils' Rhodes has none of it

ST. LOUIS - Cory Lidle backed off his critical comments that some of his former Phillies teammates did not expect to win, saying Tuesday that incessant trade talk sapped the team of enthusiasm.

Phillies reliever Arthur Rhodes did not back off his assessment of Lidle, acquired by the Yankees on Sunday, as a player who did not work at his craft and could be found in the clubhouse surfing the Internet or eating ice cream during games.

In talking about his stint with Philadelphia, Lidle said Monday that "on the days I'm pitching, it's almost a coin flip as to know if the guys behind me are going to be there to play 100 percent."

Rhodes responded by calling Lidle, who crossed the picket line during the 1994-95 strike, a "scab" and a player who spent too much time flying his airplane and gambling.

Tuesday, Lidle, a former Ray, said that "what I meant was over the last couple weeks, when the trade rumors started, we had about 10 to 13 guys that possibly thought they could have been traded. And on any given day, it just seemed like the focus wasn't always on baseball."

Rhodes said: "He's with the Yankees, you know he's going to have to backtrack."

BREWERS: Utility infielder Jeff Cirillo suggested illegal, waterlogged balls were being used at Coors Field, accounting for the decline in runs at the stadium that used to be known as "Coors Canaveral."

METS: Reliever Duaner Sanchez, who led the club with 49 appearances, had season-ending surgery on his dislocated pitching shoulder.

PADRES: Outfielder Eric Young was released as San Diego cleared roster spots for infielder Todd Walker and outfielder Ben Johnson.